Iconic sports car brand Lotus opens the door to the prospect of using battery-swap technology on future models in a partnership with Chinese pioneer, Nio.
The British brand, now owned by Chinese manufacturing giant Geely, signs a strategic partnership on charging and battery swap technology with Nio for the pair to work together on battery standards, charging and battery swap technology, battery asset management and operations, plus charging and battery swap service network construction and operations, CnEVPost reports.
According to a Nio statement on social media, the two companies will also collaborate in areas including the development and customization of charging and battery swap-enabled models and charging connectivity. If successful, future Lotus vehicles built for the Chinese market could exploit Nio’s already well-established replenishment infrastructure in China and Lotus could be the automotive brand with the most self-built charging and battery-swap facilities.
Lotus is the latest automaker to partner with Nio on charging and battery swapping including Changan Automobile, Geely, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC) and Chery.
